Audition Managed
by shallowness
Summary: Hermione approaches auditioning for a film role very differently to how Ron and Harry do. (Non-magical AU.)


Summary: Hermione approaches auditioning for a film role very differently to how Ron and Harry do.  
Author's Note: Written for the prompt 'Any, Any, auditioning for a movie/reality tv series/theater production'. Non-magical AU. 700 words.

 **Audition Managed: shallowness**

Hermione has researched this part inside out. She's made her parents discuss the scene she's going to do, so that she not only knows her character's motivations, but that of the other character in the scene too. The lines are drilled into her synapses, and she's finally happy with how she's going to deliver them.

She's watched every movie that Albus Dumbledore has ever directed, apart from 'Grindelwald' and 'Sister Mine', which have an 18 certificate. Her father put his foot down on that. He also refused to watch them for her to give her an overview of the themes and how Dumbledore directed women. But Hermione has watched films like 'The Missing Sock' and 'The Sherbet Lemon Army' repeatedly.

She's even looked up casting director Minerva McGonagall's resume. The Scotswoman has an eye for high-flyers, giving Nymphadora Tonks, Fleur Delacoeur and even Amelia Bones their big breaks. Hermione hopes that she'll see potential in her. Suddenly, one appearance as a girl with a collapsed lung and an overwhelmed single dad on 'Casualty' doesn't seem like much.

Despite all her meticulous preparation, on the day, Hermione is nervous. All the other girls waiting seem to have less unruly hair than her. She tells herself that there's nothing she can do about them and their hair. Wishing her surname started with 'F' or 'E', she stares at the linoleum, a sandy colour that graced no beach, and tells herself sternly that nerves are good. She can channel them.

She thinks about how she felt when she first read the book, how Bathilda Bagshot seemed to have written it just for Hermione. She gets Jean. All she has to do is show the film-makers that.

She jumps when they call her name.

Later, Dumbledore makes the observation to McGonagall that the way Hermione marched into the room made him think, "I wouldn't want to get on the wrong end of that one's wand." In a way, Hermione won the part without opening her mouth.

But it's a help that she knows all her lines, delivers them with intelligence and sincerity, and the camera loves her.

After Hermione finds out she's been given the part of Jean, she squeals and jumps up and down for ages. She celebrates with fancy ice-cream. Her dentist parents let her, for once.

It's something of a shock when her co-stars, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, playing Bill and Jamie, Jean's best friends, admit they turned up to their auditions knowing hardly anything about the film. Neither of them have read the book it's based on and Hermione will spend the whole of the shoot failing to persuade them to. Ron had learned his lines on the Tube and while waiting to be seen. He'd come with his mum and his younger sister who was more interested in acting than him. Ron had thought it would be a laugh and is carrying that attitude over into the production.

Hermione keeps telling him to take it more seriously. It's water off a duck's back.

Hermione, Ron and Harry have to hang out together, having lessons with their tutor, Quirrell. They bond over avoiding the first assistant director when they can. Hermione's parents take it in turn to chaperone her, while Mrs Weasley chaperones Ron, but it's Hagrid Rubeus, whose job is to train animals to appear in films, who comes with Harry.

Harry is no help with Ron's attitude. He finds Ron hilarious. The adults don't, especially first AD Snape, who clearly wishes they weren't there, even though it's a children's movie.

Despite who Harry's parents were, or rather had been, he isn't sure if he wants to carry on being an actor. He initially seems to be most interested in the food that craft services dish up than making the most of the opportunity to learn about film-making.

Hermione is sure 'The Greatest Witch of Her Age' will be a success, given Dumbledore's pedigree and the popularity of the book. She's going to try to ensure it won't fail because of her take on Jean, anyway.

As the shoot goes on, the boys became increasingly professional, especially when the cameras are rolling. Dumbledore says, "Magic," after more takes.


End file.
